Lotus Seed Sweet Soup – the Essence of Hanoi Cuisine
Summer is the time for colourful flowers to bloom in Hanoi, and the lotus – Vietnam’s national flower – is one of the most beautiful.
When
lotus flower season hits in June, it is time for Hanoians to start cooking
something refreshing and healthy to keep themselves cool in the summer weather.
When it comes to heat-relieving foods, lotus seeds sweet soup is always the
first dish served.
Although
lotus seed sweet soup is just a common kind of dessert sold in small food
stalls deep inside the Hanoi Old Quarter, it is so stunning and delicious that
it can satisfy every Hanoian’s sweet tooth. This might possibly be the reason
why this “old” sweet soup can still maintain its position on the Vietnamese
favourite dessert list when many non-native desserts such as Che Khuc Bach –
almond pannacotta with lychee sweet soup and Thai sweet gruel have made headway
into the local diet.
The
recipe for this sweet soup is simple, according to Nguyen Thi Thom - the owner
of a 40-year-old dessert restaurant in Quan Thanh. The main ingredient is dried
lotus seeds, which are often soaked overnight. They are then cooked in sugar
water until tender and starchy enough to eat. The combination of ingredients
varies among cooks, but serving the seeds mixed with mung beans, grass jelly
and boba tapioca pearls is the best way to enjoy the dish.
Lotus seed pods are collected in August annually.
Lotus seeds are separated from the pods to process different kinds of food and remedies in oriental medicine.
Pods are collected to take out the seeds.
Seeds used to make lotus seed sweet soup.
Thom’s dessert stall at 146 Quan Thanh is a popular place where Hanoians can enjoy lotus seed sweet soup.
The delicious lotus seed sweet soup.
Lotus
seed sweet soup is always the first choice of Hanoians to beat the summer heat
because it bears the unique flavour of Hanoi. It is neither sophisticatedly
garnished nor eye-catching in colour, it is the pure simplicity that creates
the attractiveness for the dessert.
Lotus
seed sweet soup is not only a delicious and elegant dish but also of much
benefit to one’s health. It can work as a tonic, helping people to stay cool on
hot days because of its heat-relieving nature, giving people a good night’s sleep
or even improving people’s strength.
The
sweet soup has contributed to introducing the tastes and aromas of different
victuals of Vietnam to the world.
By VNA
Story: Ngan Ha
Photos: Tat Son